Can the Tigers really afford not to bring VMart back after this season?

Detroit Tigers’ Victor Martinez speaks to the team before playing the Baltimore Orioles in a baseball game Wednesday. By game’s end, Martinez was in a tie for the American League lead in hitting, with a .336 average.
GAIL BURTON — The Associated Press

“There’s no words to describe Victor as a hitter. He’s unique. ... I think to really appreciate Victor, you have to watch him hit every single day, and see the intensity he takes with him to the plate, every single pitch. To really appreciate him, you have to see him on a daily basis,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.

“Vic’s a professional hitter. Very few people I’ve come across never give up on any particular pitch in any particular count. This guy is 100 percent concentrated on every single pitch he sees. I don’t know that I’ve ever come across that. It’s hard to do for every single pitch for 600 plate appearance. It’s really remarkable the concentration he has every single time the pitcher throws the ball. It’s remarkable, really. He never lets up.”

What has surprised some folks is that Martinez — who has never hit more than 25 home runs — already has nine after Tuesday’s ninth-inning shot.

His home runs haven’t been trickling over the walls. And there have been a lot of them — he’s never had this many, so early.

“I always say I’d rather be lucky than good, especially in this ballpark (Comerica Park). I just go out there and try to put the good part of the bat on the ball. And I always say — always say — when you put a good swing on, anything can happen. Just make sure I put a good swing on, and see what happens,” Martinez modestly said last home stand. “I think I’ve been a little lucky.”

His manager had no idea why, either, but he wasn’t calling it luck.

“No, I don’t ... home runs tend to come in bunches. He’s always been an excellent hitter, but he wouldn’t necessarily be classified as a home-run hitter. Right now, he’s hitting some home runs, and I don’t know that I can give you an answer why,” Ausmus said, admitting it could be a product of finally being fully healthy two-plus years out from knee surgery.

“It’s possible. Similar to pitchers coming back from Tommy John, sometimes it takes a full season for them to come back to form. Maybe that’s the case with the knee, for Victor to be able to drive off the leg, or him to be able to use the legs in his swing.”

There were times last year when the concern about Martinez’s status was valid — and palpable. He was, indeed, hitting .232 at the start of last July

Those concerns have been put to rest by him hitting .367 the rest of the way, then hitting .405 in the playoffs. Since July 1 of last year, Martinez has played 127 games (including playoffs), hitting .362 with 18 home runs, 71 RBI and just 38 strikeouts.

The Tigers will have several decisions to make in a busy offseason, with only seven players under contract past the end of this season.

If they don’t re-sign Martinez, the Tigers really don’t have a big-league-ready designated hitter in their system, unless they want to re-sign 38-year-old Torii Hunter for that role, and replace him in the outfield.

That could be where J.D. Martinez comes into the picture. For a guy without a track record of being a stellar defender, statistically at least, he’s been the Tigers’ most consistent defender in the corner outfield spots, while Hunter has not looked like the Gold Glove defender of his earlier years.

Even if they couldn’t convince Hunter to take on the DH role, full time, they might be able to sell him on splitting the role with J.D. Martinez.

Even so, both Hunter and J.D. Martinez are more streaky hitters, where Victor Martinez is not. Slotting either one in the lineup behind Cabrera would just be hitting the reset button on the concerns about providing him adequate protection.

Maybe the question isn’t whether or not the Tigers can afford to extend Victor Martinez’s contract.

It might be whether or not they can afford not to.

About the Author

Detroit Tigers beat writer for The Oakland Press in Pontiac, Michigan. Mowery has spent 18 years covering sports, from preps to pros. He’s been honored with more than 25 awards for writing. Reach the author at matt.mowery@oakpress.com
or follow Matthew B. on Twitter: @MatthewBMowery.